Maple Sap Brown Ale?

[BLTalpos]

I'm considering doing a maple sap brown ale, but I need some clarification on a few things.

1.) I've heard of people using maple sap for a pale ale with subtle hops, but never really for a brown ale. Is that because the brown is too robust to pick-up the subtle maple woody taste? Or have I just been looking in the wrong place?

2.) I also read that if you boil down maple sap from a larger batch (say 10 gal. to 6 gal.), the sap flavors are more pronounced. Does anybody have more insight into this?

 

[rodisian]

I haven't brewed a beer with maple sap, but I did taste test a glass of pure maple sap from a tree in my yard. It tastes like... water!

So I'd say reducing it down would certainly be a good direction to go in - and maybe even boil down a portion of it significantly (say 2gallons down to about 8oz) and add that after primary fermentation has slowed, to bring forth more maple-flavored goodness. Also, my understanding is that it's not just the liquid being reduced in volume that concentrates the maple flavor, but there are other chemical reactions from the boil that give maple syrup-ness.

Let us know how it turns out!